We Start and End with Family
by luvscharlie
Summary: When the stresses of parenthood weigh heavily on Hermione, her husband, Fred Weasley, arranges for them to have some time alone. AU fic. Fred/Hermione; Charlie/Viktor; Percy/Penelope
1. Chapter 1: Good Times in a Quiet House

We Start and End with Family by Luvscharlie

_"Other things may change us, but we start and end with the family."_ –Anthony Brandt

**Part 1: Good Times in a Quiet House**

* * *

_"What is a home without children? Quiet."_ -- Henny Youngman

* * *

It had been a rough week for Hermione Weasley, and not for the first time in the past several days she wondered what exactly she had done to anger the gods so greatly they would curse her with twins. The twin daughters of Fred Weasley, no less. Whatever it was, surely she had paid penance by now.

She and Fred's four year old daughters had been particularly busy this week, and she had seen little of her husband. It was not uncommon for Fred to stay at the shop until the wee hours of morning when they were testing a new product, and during the past week, he and George had both worked round the clock on something they swore would make their business a household name in the Wizarding World. Thus, Hermione had been left to care for the children with very little help from their father.

There had been four separate trips to St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, once for Emily and three times for Erin; two "small" explosions, which apparently were the fault of "no one", and "no one" seemed to know what had happened to cause said explosions. Her mother-in-law had been forced to Floo over to her home for four emergency calls, two of which were to remove Bertie Bott's Every-Flavour Beans from Erin's nose, as one person could not hold the child down and work the required spell at the same time.

The first time, Molly had simply laughed before helping Hermione wrestle down the struggling four year old and removing the sweet, stating that George had done the same thing when he was a little boy. When she needed assistance two hours later to remove another sweet from the same child's nose, Molly had given her an exasperated look which she usually reserved for Fred or George and said, "Honestly dear, why don't you just put the sweets away?"

Oh, what a wonderful idea! _Shame_ she had been too dense to think of it herself. Did the woman give her so little credit? "I tossed it all into the bin, and we went to meet Fred and George for lunch." _One of the very rare occasions she had the opportunity to see her husband this week._ "Apparently, my dear brother-in-law found it amusing and slipped her some more."

"Oh, I'm sorry dear." Molly kissed both small red heads, and gave the girls a bit of a stern look. "I have to go meet Grandad. Be good for your mum, you two."

Two deceptively angelic voices responded in unison, "We will, Nana."

Molly gave the girls a sceptical look, tossed a sympathetic one over her shoulder at Hermione, and hurried away.

But the final straw was at dinner this evening. After their lunch together, Fred had apparently come to the wise conclusion that working late again tonight would not be advisable, if he valued his wife's sanity. It seemed that "no one" was up to his (or her) old tricks again. One of the Wild-Fire Whiz-Bangs from Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes had found its way, as if by 'magic', into the pot of stew, which had inevitably made its way into Hermione's bowl and exploded in the middle of dinner covering her in stew. Rather than scream, Hermione simply put her head down on the table and cried.

She felt Fred's hand touch her shoulder. "Why don't you catch a shower, while I take care of the mess?"

No need to tell her twice. She bolted for the shower seeking solace beneath the hot water. She would have lingered under the spray longer, but the water cooled much too quickly and a warming charm failed to heat it. She got out, cast a drying spell on her hair and skin, put on a pair of pyjamas and padded down the hallway. She was surprised to find the house quiet. The kitchen was clean and her husband and daughters were nowhere to be found.

Not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, Hermione grabbed her favourite book and headed for her bed. She snuggled down under the covers, leaned back against the fluffy pillows, and had just opened her book when she heard them Flooing back in. Well, that didn't last long. She leaned back and closed her eyes.

When she could ignore them no longer, she looked up to see her husband standing in the doorway of their bedroom, leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed over his chest.

"You look completely knackered, love."

"I am." She looked around him, but there was no sign of the two small red heads she expected to see bouncing in behind him.

She met his eyes with a questioning look. He shot a roguishly wicked grin back at her, mouthing the words, "They're not here."

"You killed them, didn't you? I managed them by myself all week long, but I leave you alone with them for less than an hour and you do away with them?"

Fred grinned at her. "I did consider it. But I concluded it might be too messy, and I've already cleaned up one mess tonight."

"Well, those were the only two you're getting from me, so don't come over here with any bright ideas about making a couple more."

"It would make Mum happy, you know—more grandkids. She's been saying—"

"So that's what you did with them. You left them on your parents' doorstep!" Her voice was excited. "Hurry, we don't have much time. I'll grab some clothes and you get a trunk. They'll be returning them soon."

Fred laughed, "Wrong again. We would be found out much too quickly, and Mum and Dad would only fill 'em up with loads of chocolate frogs to punish us before sending them back home. Completely counter-productive, don't you think?"

"Hm, good point," she agreed. "I know! You left them at the orphanage in Diagon Alley, didn't you?" He winked at her in response. "Merlin, I love you, Fred."

He laughed in the way that made his eyes twinkle and the corner of his mouth curl up into an adorable half-smile, giving him a boyish look that had always been her undoing. Today, after being married to him for the past six years, it still had that same effect on her. She felt her heartbeat quicken, her pulse race and her nipples harden, all from that one simple gesture.

"I tried to leave them there, but apparently our daughters' reputations precede them. The bird at the front desk said something about a lady with brown, curly hair that the girls called mummy attempting to leave them there before. Anything you would like to tell me, Wife?" He cocked an eyebrow at her, as he rubbed his stubble-covered chin.

"Damn," she teased, "I should have knocked and ran."

"That's my girl. That's the way I taught you." He crossed the room to their bed. "Shove over, woman," he said bumping her shoulder with his hip. He climbed in beside her, tossed back the blankets and rested his head in her lap. She pretended to ponder further while she threaded her fingers through his thick, ginger-coloured hair, brushing back the fringe and smiling as it fell stubbornly back over his brow.

"I'm running out of guesses. A hint?" She followed the trail of his gaze, and noticed that he was eyeing the way her too-small pyjama top pressed against her chest. It was an old top that she had prior to her pregnancy with the twins, but it was one of her favourites, and if the look on her husband's face was any indication, it was one of his favourites as well.

"I'm a bit tired of this game, really. I can think of a few other games I want to play with you though." He grasped the material and pulled at the buttons on her top as he attempted to unfasten them.

She batted his hands away and grinned down at him. "What have you done with our children, Fred Weasley?"

"I can go and fetch 'em home, if you'd like."

"No, I did _not_ say a thing about fetching them. However," she said, batting his hands away again, laughing at his frustrated sigh and the way he rolled his eyes, "I will sound like a bad mother if I don't even know where my own children are, won't I?"

"After the week you've had, sweetheart, I think you get bonus points seeing as how they're still among the living." He wound one of her curls around his fingers, and his knuckles grazed her cheek.

"So you noticed then? How bad it was, I mean?" she asked, as she continued to stroke his hair.

"Not really, and I'm sorry 'bout that, babe. Mum opened my eyes for me this morning," he said, rubbing the back of his head. "That woman does get her messages across loud and clear, doesn't she?"

Hermione gave him a sympathetic smile and rubbed the spot on the back of his head where his mother had, no doubt, thumped him.

"I noticed when I got home the past few nights, after you and the girls were already asleep, that your usually must-be-neat-and-tidy house looked like it had been hit by a tornado—or two. I should have paid more attention. You're typically a light sleeper, and I don't think you woke up once when I climbed in beside you the past few nights. I'm sorry you got stuck doing so much of this by yourself while we've been testing this product. We made some real progress, but it still needs a lot of work."

She sighed in disappointment. "I'm glad you made progress, but I've missed you, Fred." She pushed the thought of further nights alone in the coming week from her mind and focused on the time she had with him now. "Back to these bonus points, Weasley. What do they get me?"

"Quit smacking my hands away and I'll show you." He made another grab for the buttons on her pyjama top, but she pushed away his hands.

"Grr," he growled. "Will you stop it?"

"Where are our daughters?"

"When I tell you, you're going to think your husband is so brilliant that you'll climb on top of him and rip his clothes off."

She cocked her eyebrow and leaned forward. He raised his head and met her halfway for a soft kiss. "Care to put that theory to test?"

He pulled his head from her lap and sat next to her, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her back against his chest. "Well, Granger—"

"How many times do I have to tell you that's not my name anymore?"

"You'll always be Granger to me. It only matters that everyone _else_ knows you're _my_ wife. Hermione," he started, as though he had some great announcement to make, "I have decided to take this week off from the shop."

"But the new product—won't George need your help? I know the two of you were trying to get it ready to put on the shelves before people begin shopping for the start of term at Hogwarts, and it's already July. Won't you run out of time?"

"It probably won't be ready for August, but it's not a tragedy. It'll be ready for Christmas instead."

"Oh Fred, now I feel guilty. I didn't mean to take you away from the shop. The shop usually triples its profits during August while people are shopping for school supplies in Diagon Alley."

"It does and one product is not going to change that. It's not like we're foundering anymore. Wheezes is making Galleons hand-over-fist. The shop's exceeded all of our expectations. George and I talked this evening, and I told him I needed to be home for a while."

"Was he upset?"

"George? Nah. He knows if I tell him I need to be home there's a reason. One of the joys of having a twin is they rarely question your motives. Listen to me, Hermione. The shop's important, but not more important than my family or my marriage. Frankly, baby, out of the three, you seem to be the one who needs my attention most right now. I think I've been a bit neglectful of late."

She kissed his lips lightly in silent forgiveness. "I still feel guilty and a little selfish, but the girls and I are going to love having you home."

"No, _they're_ not because the girls are not going to be here," he whispered in her ear. "They are going to be gone for the next seven nights. It is just going to be the two of us."

She pushed herself away from his chest and looked him directly in the eye. "That is not something to tease about, Weasley."

He grasped her arms and pulled her across his lap, capturing her mouth for a long, slow and sensuous kiss as their tongues entwined. "After the week you've had, it seemed only fair that you should get a break from the demons we call daughters, so your brilliant husband went to the Ministry of Magic and called in a favour with Minister Shacklebolt."

She kissed him with eagerness. "It is good to have connections. Amaze me with your brilliance, Husband."

"When you put it that way, how can I resist? Kingsley arranged an international Portkey to Romania, and the girls are staying with Charlie tonight. You looked so knackered earlier, and then I realised there are seven days in a week and—"

"Did I say _brilliance_?" she interrupted.

"Cheeky little thing, aren't you, Granger?" he asked, playfully smacking her bottom lightly. _Anyway_, between Bill, George, Charlie, Percy, Ginny, Ron and Mum and Dad's place that's seven separate houses in my family."

"I knew I married the smart one."

"I'm going to pretend that was sincere."

"Don't," she said in a throaty voice that even she would not recognise as her own. She guided his hand back to her arse.

"You know, love, it's not really punishment if you enjoy it so much that ya' beg for it."

"Then pretend I don't," she said in the same husky voice.

He licked her nipple through the top she wore eliciting a gasp from her when the wet warmth of his tongue seeped through to her skin. He offered only enough to tease her, lightly squeezing her arse where she had placed his hand before pulling back. "As I was saying, that's a place for our daughters to stay every night for a week."

"You sent our daughters to the Dragon Reserve in Romania tonight?"

"You are a quick study. What tipped you off?"

She rolled her eyes at him. "Sarcasm really does not become you, Fred. They'll drive poor Charlie spare. He'll be bringing them back in the next hour." She laughed at the thought of Charlie, all muscles and raw masculinity, being driven to frustration by two identical little girls. "We should take advantage of this time alone while we can." She wrapped her arms around his neck, tilted her head and nibbled a trail down his neck.

He pushed her flat of her back, pinning her to the bed beneath him, "Ah, but there is more, my beautiful wife. Tell me I'm marvellous, Granger."

"Brilliant and marvellous? Think rather highly of yourself tonight, don't you?"

"I do. Your husband has a deviously brilliant mind." He finally managed to work the final button of her top open, and licked a trail between her breasts, while he rolled one nipple between his fingers. She tangled her own fingers in his hair and pulled him as close to her as possible. He winked at her, "Lee Jordan's sister happens to be working at the Floo Regulation Commission, and as of a few minutes ago our fireplace has been disconnected from the Floo Network. There's no way in except through the front and back doors, and I put up the wards."

She kissed him hard. "That is why I love you, Weasley. When you see an opportunity, you don't let it slip by."

Fred was giving her tits his undivided attention, lavishing them with his affection, as he squeezed the soft mounds of flesh, sucked her nipple into his mouth and laved it with the under side of his tongue.

"Fred?"

He removed his mouth from its current task only long enough to answer, "I'm kind of busy here."

"It's just—what if George needs you for something with the shop?" She thought for a moment and her voice took on a tone of panic. "What if something happens that your family needs to tell us something about the girls? I mean Merlin knows things do tend to go wrong when they're around and—"

"Hush." He put his finger to her lips. "Calm down. I took care of everything." He went back to laving her nipple with no further explanation until she pushed him away. Fred sighed and released her now hard nipple from his mouth with a loud pop. "Her-my-nee," he whinged.

"Fred, I'm worried. They've never been away from me for long and, well, I know George is good with them and all, but what if they need _me_ for something?"

He stroked a finger down her jaw. "You really are a good mum, y'know? And with those two, it cannot be easy some days."

"Thank you. It's nice to hear sometimes."

He kissed her forehead. "George has agreed to run the shop by himself for the entire week and take both of our daughters for a day as well. He knows how to get through the wards and the others can contact him if something goes wrong. George will get us if anything comes up we should know about. And, he won't bring the girls back because he actually thinks they're fun, you know, in small doses. He said if they become too much for one of the others, he'll take them for the extra night." The entire explanation came out in one long rush of words. It was evident that he knew she was going to demand an explanation before allowing his continued exploration of her body, so he simply spit it all out at once making Hermione smile. "Now that I've answered all your bloody questions, may I continue what I was doing?" He tweaked a nipple for emphasis.

She pulled his head back down to her breast. "Yes, my brilliant, devious and marvellously breathtaking husband."

"Flattery will get you everywhere, Granger."

"A week with you and no children, whatever will we do with ourselves?"

He grinned at her and winked, "And _you_ insulted _my_ intelligence?"

* * *

Hermione wasn't sure what happened after that. One minute she was lying beneath her husband as he assailed her body with well placed kisses and tender caresses, and the next thing she knew the morning light was streaming through their bedroom window and she could hear the shower running in the loo down the hall. She put her hands over her face as realisation dawned. _Gods, I cannot believe I fell asleep in the middle of my husband making love to me._

Feeling terribly guilty for drifting off the previous night, she crept from their room intent on sharing the shower with him until long after the water had gone cold. She entered the loo, but the steam filling the room clouded her vision. She stripped off her clothes as quietly as she could and stepped into the shower behind him. She grasped his waist and pressed kisses to his back, before running her tongue between his shoulder blades. She rested her chin on his shoulder as she nibbled his neck and ear, pressing her breasts against his back. With his earlobe still between her teeth she said "Good morning, handsome. I'm sorry I fell asleep last night." She punctuated the apology with a kiss behind the ear she had been nibbling. Her hands left his waist to caress down his hips and squeeze his arse. He groaned when she pressed her body more tightly against his back.

At the sound of his voice, though, her heart stopped. "Mornin', Hermione. I hope the hot water in my flat goes out more often if this is the way you welcome everyone who borrows your shower."

"George!"

"I can pretend to be Fred, if you like," he said, starting to turn toward her. "Fred never told you me were so kinky, love."

"Don't you dare turn around!"

"Ya know, you were a lot more personable a minute ago."

"Close your eyes," she hissed, backing out of the shower, and breathing a sigh of relief when she saw he had complied with her demand. She wanted to wipe that smug smirk from his face, but it would have to wait. She grabbed her dressing gown from its hook on the door and yanked it on as she left the loo as quickly as possible, running smack into her husband's chest as she rounded the corner.

He grabbed her arms to keep her from falling over at the impact. "Whoa there," he said, as she landed a fist against him. "Blimey, what's that for?" he asked, rubbing his shoulder.

_That_ is because I just shared a rather intimate shower with your brother. Think you might warn me next time we're not alone?" She frowned at the sight of him biting his lower lip. The prat was trying not to laugh, which made her want to hit him again. "This is not funny, Fred Weasley!"

He cleared his throat loudly, swallowing down his laughter. "No, you're right. It's not—" He had to stop before he could complete his sentence, and he closed his eyes to avoid looking at her, holding up his hand in pause, but even that didn't prevent the laughter spilling from his lips.

Thinks this is humorous, does he? Well, two can play at that game. When his eyes opened once more, she flashed him a smile which, after this long, he should have known meant trouble. She pulled the tie that held her dressing gown together free, feeling the silky material part when she wrapped her arms around his neck, and pressed her still wet and naked body firmly against him making him groan at the contact and slip his hands inside the open gown. She stood on tiptoe to nip at his ear and whispered, "I believe your brother's a bit _larger_ than you, love." She ground her hips against his growing erection for emphasis.

He grasped her hips pushing the heels of her feet back flat on the floor, and looked down at her with a look she knew well. It was the I-can't-believe-I-fell-for-that look, which she had only seen a few times in all the years of knowing him. Nothing delighted her more than getting the better of Fred Weasley, as it happened so rarely.

"That wasn't funny, Granger. Not funny at all."

"Oh, I think it was almost as funny as my shower with George, you prat."

With no warning, he tossed her over his shoulder and headed to their bedroom, kicking the door closed behind him. He leaned back against it, setting her on her feet in front of him and pulling her close as he slid the dressing gown down her arms.

"Fred," she protested, "George is just across the hall."

"He knows the way out." Desire clouded his eyes, and she threw caution to the wind and pulled him toward their bed, "Sleepy again?" he teased.

"I am sorry I fell asleep on you last night."

"I should prob'ly be the one apologising for molesting you before I realised you were snoring and not moaning."

"That must have been a bit of a disappointment."

"More than you know."

"Show me how disappointed you were, and I will see what I can do to make it up to you."

"I like the sound of that, Granger."

His hand closed over her left breast and his lips found her neck. She arched her back into his touch, as she worked to unfasten his robes. The fastenings were not cooperative and refused to yield to her demands to open. When she finally worked the confounded contraption free, a knock sounded at their bedroom door.

Fred never removed his mouth from her neck. "Go away."

"Ah, come on. Granger won't mind. We've gotten close, ya know. We even share showers on occasion," George said. "Besides, I hear women fall asleep in bed with you, so you obviously need a few pointers. It's a tough job and all, but I'm willing to make the sacrifice for you, brother."

Fred's face took on a look of open-mouthed horror. "You told him?"

"No, I told you, who just well—happened to not be you—and—oh, this is _not_ my fault!"

George was still laughing when they heard the tell-tale "crack" of him Apparating away.

"You know I plan to modify his memory, right?" she asked. Fred sucked her neck with renewed fervour, his mouth warm and wet as he trailed his lips up to her ear. He grunted something that sounded remotely like 'yeah'. Her hands went to his shoulders, and she pushed him away gently, amused at the look of frustration that crossed the face she found so irresistible.

In the most whinging tone she had ever heard him use, he said, "What now?" He stretched out each word until it was incredibly long and pitiful sounding.

"Well, one of us needs to reset the wards before another of your relatives or our friends decides to pay us a visit, and you happen to be the only one of us who is clothed." She passed him her wand from the bedside table.

He dropped his forehead to her shoulder, "I really hate to admit you've got a point. As many people as there are in my family, one of them is bound to show up, especially after they hear we have a community shower. Mum may feel the need to have a serious talk with you about your lascivious behaviour with my brother, love."

She shoved him away. "You'll pay for that."

"Promises, promises," he mumbled as he exited the room to prevent any further intrusions into their morning.

She climbed into their bed, finger-combed her mass of wild curls in a futile attempt to remove the tangles, and waited for his return. The house was quiet as Hermione relaxed against the pillows; it was a foreign and wonderful sound.

Somewhere on his trip back to their room Fred had discarded his robes, and he stood before her wearing only his shorts, his erection evident and straining against the thin material. She raised herself up on her knees, starting at just beneath his waistband, and stroked a finger down his hard length, closely studying the expressions that crossed his face when she cupped his balls and kneaded gently. She hooked her fingers into his waistband and tugged. If his moaning was any indication, he was as ready to be inside her as she was to have him there.

She crooked her finger at him, "Come here, gorgeous."

His lips came down hard on hers as he pushed her down on their bed. She ran her hands up and down his bare back, revelling in the feel of his hard muscles beneath her fingers, as he nuzzled her neck and whispered against her skin.

She wrapped her legs around his waist and arched her body against his. "Fred, I can't wait."

He slid a hand between them. She groaned when his fingers made contact with her folds, delving inside and touching her in all the right places. "So wet. So ready for me," he growled.

"I want you."

At her words, he thrust fully into her in a single stroke, never slowing the teasing of his thumb as it rubbed against her clit. He set the pace and she matched his rhythm perfectly. They had been together for six years, and she was always amazed at how responsive her body was to his touch, to the words he whispered in her ear, and to the kisses he showered upon her lips and skin. He knew exactly what would make her come and how to bring her to climax at the same moment he exploded inside her.

Her nails scratched lightly across the muscles of his back as he increased his pace. She closed her eyes and arched her body into each of his thrusts, returning his passionate kisses with equal fervour, as her tongue tangled with his. She fisted her hands in his hair dragging his mouth down her neck. He sucked the spot behind her ear with the knowledge that being kissed there was often her undoing. He gently suckled the sensitive skin, intermittently whispering breathy words in her ear, which for the most part she couldn't understand. She did not need to hear them to know they were words of love. As her body approached climax, she dug her nails into his shoulders and wrapped her legs as tightly around him as she could pulling his lips to hers and continuing to breathe him in as wave after wave of pleasure quaked through her and until her body ceased its trembling. He followed her orgasm with his own.

Fred eased himself from her body and pulled her to him, as his chest laboured with each breath. He snuggled her close. "If that's what taking a shower with my brother does for you, love, we'll invite him over more often."

She shoved against his chest, but he refused to release her. "Stop laughing, Fred."

"I'm sorry, but that was too good to pass up. It's been too long since I shagged you good and proper."

"You just made it up to me. That was amazing."

"Most agreed," he said, as he moved to sit on the side of the bed and grabbed her hand. "Come on, lazy. I want breakfast. Gotta keep my strength up and all."

* * *

After breakfast and the longest shower of their lives, they were once again wrapped in one another's arms beneath the warm duvet that covered their bed, and basking in the afterglow of a marathon session of lovemaking.

"Fred."

"Hm?" he said, yawning.

"If we move away before the week is over, how long do you think it would take your brothers to find us?"

"With the threat of raising our daughters as motivation? Two hours, tops."

"I was afraid that's what you were going to say. It's been a while now. How do you think it's going?"

"Baby, the girls are fine. No need to worry about 'em," he said.

"Oh no, honey. I was worried about Charlie."

"George promised to check in on him and make sure they hadn't killed him as soon as he got back to the shop. I think we would have heard by now if there was a funeral to attend." He pulled away from her and propped himself up on an elbow, looking down at her smiling face.

"What are you smiling about, Granger?"

"You've given me plenty to smile about this morning. I was just thinking about what we might do with the rest of our day."

"We could make a baby."

She shoved him across the bed away from her. "There are certain things which are off limits when joking in this house. That's one of those things, you arse."

"Ah, but I did love it when you were pregnant."

"You loved the shagging when I was pregnant because we did it all the time. I've never been so randy in my life. It's a wonder we didn't both die from exhaustion."

"Yeah," Fred said with a sigh. "Good times."

End of Part One


	2. Chapter 2: Hiders, Seekers and Keepers

We Start and End with Family by Luvscharlie

_"Other things may change us, but we start and end with the family."_ –Anthony Brandt

**Part 2: Hiders, Seekers and Keepers**

* * *

_"Show me a man with a tattoo and I'll show you a man with an interesting past."_ -Jack London

* * *

_The previous evening in Romania:_

For fear someone would enter a restricted area, it was not possible to enter the Romanian Dragon Reserve by magical means. Therefore, George arrived at the rendezvous point for the Dragon Reserve by international Portkey with a redheaded little girl in each of his arms. He stood them on their feet, and one of the girls squealed with excitement when she saw Charlie there to meet them. The other, however, held back clinging to George's leg.

"Uncle Chawlie!"

Charlie tugged one red, curly pigtail and grinned into big, brown eyes, "Hey there, Em."

"Is not Emmy. Is Ewin."

"Your dad should have sent you with name tags. You've grown a lot since I saw you last." Charlie turned his attention to George. "So how's Hermione?"

"She'll be all right. She just needed a break. Taking care of these two is no easy job. I can attest to that."

"Hi there," Charlie said to the child whose face was buried against the leg of George's trousers.

"Emily's just a bit shyer than Erin. She'll warm up." George pried the child loose and knelt down so that he was on her level.

"I wanna go home wif you, Uncle George," she whinged as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

Charlie was in awe at how the girls had his twin brothers twisted around their little fingers. He could see the indecision playing across George's face. "She'll be fine, you know," Charlie said.

"Yeah, I know. I just don't like to leave her when she's asking to come with me. I'd take her, but I have to tend the shop by m'self tomorrow since Lee and Verity both have to be other places."

"Funny how there always seems to be a dominant twin, huh?" asked Charlie, looking at Erin, and then back at Emily.

"Is that what you think?" George asked, shaking his head. "Are you sure you're up for this, mate?"

"What do you mean?"

"I _mean_ Emily may be the quieter, more bashful of the two, but do _not_ doubt her. She can manipulate Erin into doing what she wants without her sister ever being the wiser. She'll probably warm up faster to you once I'm not here, but if she doesn't, send me a Floo call, okay? I'll come back and get them if they put up a fuss about staying tonight."

"What about the shop?"

"I'll work something out."

Charlie smiled at the comment, but agreed to do so, and George relayed the information to the twins. Charlie had to admit that they did seem comforted by the knowledge that George would not force them to stay where they did not want to be.

"The little monsters are all yours, Charlie," George said, as the girls launched themselves at his legs to hug him before he left. They would have knocked him over, but for Charlie's old reflexes as a Seeker reacting instinctively to catch him.

George looked over at Charlie before he left. "You sure you can handle them?"

Standing before him in pigtails, one holding a small, pink blanket, the other a stuffed dragon he had given her for her first Christmas, the twins looked the exact opposite of monsters. Charlie snorted at the absurdity of his brother's statement.

George raised an inquisitive eyebrow making Charlie feel a bit more nervous about taking the girls for the night. "If they get to be too much, I'll just take 'em to Bill's early."

"No, you won't. Bill said you might try somethin' like that. I'm supposed to tell you he will be here tomorrow at 7:00 p.m. to pick them up, and not a second sooner are you allowed to drop 'em off. I don't think our _lovely_ sister-in-law is too happy with this arrangement."

Charlie was distracted by Erin reaching for him. "Uncle Chawlie, Daddy said we is gonna get to see dwagons. Are we, Uncle Chawlie? Huh?"

"You sure are."

George passed Charlie the girls' overnight bag. Charlie took each child by a hand and set off on the short walk to the Reserve.

* * *

Charlie's boss, Drake O'Riley, laughed when he saw the twins. "Oh, yeah. These two look like _loads_ of trouble," he sneered, in the most sarcastic voice he could manage looking at the red pigtails and freckled noses, both with their thumbs in their mouths. "Well, I see the problem," Drake said, looking the twins up and down. "Vicious little beasts, no doubt." He guffawed. "Compared to what? Pygmy Puffs? I reckon you can handle two little girls if ya can manage a full grown Hungarian Horntail."

Drake was a big, burly man, who most of the trainee keepers found terrifying. Erin, however, saw past the façade of the rough exterior and scurried onto his lap. She grabbed his cheeks with both hands, holding his face so that he was looking at her, and whispered, "Mr. Dwake, do you know we gets to see dwagons?"

"Dragons, huh? I've heard there are dragons around here." Drake patted the stuffed dragon in Erin's arms and said, "Who's this?"

"Dis is Spot. Don't be afwaid, Mr. Dwake. Spot's a berry good dwagon," Erin replied, stroking her plush friend's head.

"Well, you keep a tight hold on him, honey, 'kay? I can't be having any renegade dragons running loose on my Reserve. Dragons are a jealous lot, ya know, and I can't be having them all thinkin' they can just run loose around here, understand?"

Erin gave a serious nod, as though she understood completely and visibly tightened her hold on Spot.

"But you say this one's tame?"

The wide-eyed child nodded.

"And 'e knows how to behave himself?"

She nodded again.

"All right then. I guess he can stay, but ya'll have to use this." Drake took a small piece of string from his back pocket and tied it around the stuffed dragon's neck. "You keep 'em on a leash, you hear?"

Charlie shook his head in disbelief. Drake was enchanted with the brown-eyed little girls. And Erin was grinning like mad at the adult who pretended her plush friend was, in fact, a real dragon. He's a soft-touch thought Charlie; he's just better at hiding it than most. Drake handed Spot back to Erin with the string fastened around his neck and the child clapped her dimpled hands together in excitement.

Charlie led the way to the hatchery where there was still one intact dragon egg, as his nieces scampered in behind him firing off question after question. George had been correct. Emily was not as outgoing as Erin, but she warmed to him quickly enough. Charlie held each girl up so they could see the brown spotted egg shaking in the egg warmer. "I think we got here just in time."

"Uncle Chawlie," said Emily, "Why is dat ball wigglin'? Can we play wif it?"

Charlie laughed, "No, silly girl. That's not a ball. It's a dragon egg, and it's wiggling 'cause the baby dragon inside wants to come out." As if on cue, the dragon kicked his foot out of the bottom of the egg, as both girls gasped and Erin shouted, "Look, Spot," holding her stuffed dragon in front of her so he could 'see' the egg.

Drake heard the commotion and came to see if the baby had hatched. Charlie set the twins back on their feet, and Erin hopped up and down in excitement. "Mr. Dwake, can we touch it? Emmy and me, we wikes dwagons."

Drake gently lifted the newly-hatched dragon and held it down on their level. "You can touch him. They're not dangerous when they're this small. Just be gentle, 'cause you don't wanna hurt 'em. His skin's soft, huh? He'll get scales later."

Charlie watched as the wide-eyed "little monsters" each used one finger to stroke the baby dragon, careful to be as gentle as possible, so as not to hurt him and nodding in agreement at how soft its skin was.

"He's berry cute," said Erin, and Emily nodded her agreement.

Drake looked up at Charlie and grinned, then looked back at the twins and said, "What do you think we should call this lil' guy?"

"Spot," said Erin without the slightest hesitation.

"Spot's a stupid name," said Emily.

Erin's mouth flew open, and the look on her face was one of pure mortification, as she clamped her hands over the plush dragon's ears. "You is gonna huwt Spot's feelings, Emmy. Is not a stupid name, and Mummy says you is not supposed to say stupid."

Emily pulled a very Hermione-like face and said, "Is not gonna be named Spot." She emphasised her point by putting her hands on her hips and stamping her foot. Gone was the shy, quiet child of moments earlier.

Charlie broke in before the argument escalated, "Oi, don't you want to name him after your favourite uncle?"

"Yes," said both girls at once, eyes dancing with excitement. "George!"

"Ouch," said Charlie. "I really should have seen that coming."

When the fascination with the new baby dragon had worn off, which it did surprisingly quickly, the girls spotted a campfire some of the handlers were sitting round. Emily was the first to pipe up, grabbing the leg of Charlie's pants and tugging, as she pointed towards the fire.

"Mallows, Uncle Chawlie. Pwease, mallows."

Charlie kneeled down in front of the child, "What's that, Em?" He was rather proud of himself for figuring out that while he may not be able to tell the girls apart, he knew Emily was the child with the blanket, Erin the one with the stuffed dragon.

"Mallows," she said pointing toward the fire.

"You want to roast marshmallows?"

Both girls nodded their heads and clapped their small hands. "I think we can manage that. Let me round up some roasting sticks and—" The words were no sooner out of Charlie's mouth than Drake was placing a stick with two marshmallows on the end in each girl's hand. They quickly tossed the stuffed dragon and blanket at Charlie, running off towards the fire. "Careful," he shouted after them. "I don't want to have to tell your mum I let you fall in the fire." Drake Apparated in front of them with a bag of marshmallows in hand. "I've got 'em."

Charlie shook his head and muttered under his breath, "They haven't been here an hour and they've managed to tame the most ferocious creature on the Reserve. Maybe if I wore pigtails, I could get a bit more vacation time."

Another keeper who was close enough to hear Charlie's words piped up, "Do let the rest of us know if you plan to put that theory to test. We would hate to miss it."

* * *

After roasting several marshmallows, Emily was yawning and Erin was rubbing at sleepy eyes. "I think it's time to get ready for bed, girls." He grabbed each twin's hand and started towards his tent.

They had almost reached the entrance when Viktor poked his head out. The girls launched themselves at his legs squealing in delight as he knelt down on their level to hug them.

"Is nice surprise," he said in a thick accent, looking up at Charlie and cocking an inquisitive eyebrow.

"And a _surprise_ it was."

"Is family okay?" asked Viktor, looking concerned. "Hermy-own-ninny is well, no?"

"Daddy said Mummy needs to bwake us, Uncle Viktor," said Emily.

"'Cause we is dwive her cwazy," said Erin nodding.

Charlie smiled at the confusion on Viktor's face. He had a difficult time with the language under the best of circumstances, and it was impossible for him to understand the girls' broken version of it. "I think Daddy said Mummy needs a break from the two of you because you're driving her crazy," corrected Charlie.

"Ah," said Viktor. "So how long ve have little visitors?"

"Just until they go to stay with Uncle Bill tomorrow night."

Emily yawned and Viktor picked her up, "Is sticky, dis little one," he said, carrying the child into the tent.

"I was just herding them towards the tub," said Charlie.

"Mummy says herd animals, not childwen," recited Emily, making Viktor chuckle.

"I help vith baths, no?"

"Nah, I got it. I've had plenty of practice bathing kids, haven't I? It goes along with being the second oldest of seven, I think."

"You no vant my help? Ven I vas at Hermy-own-ninny's house last time, bath vas large—not know vord—I think venture."

"Honestly,Viktor, I think I'm capable of bathing a couple of four year olds without assistance," Charlie said rolling his eyes.

"Okay then," said Viktor, passing him the child. "I vill make snack?"

"For me? That would be lovely. For them? No, they've had enough marshmallows. I don't think they need anything else before bed."

Viktor went to sit in his favourite chair.

"Guess I won't be getting that snack," said Charlie under his breath, as he wrangled the twins toward the loo and drew up a tub full of water. Though his mother seemed to think he and Viktor lived a rough life in the tent, and since it garnered him home-cooked meals and desserts when he came home for visits, he felt no need to enlighten her, the truth was that since the tent was made for everyday living, rather than for occasional use, it was really quite a comfortable, little flat.

It was mind boggling how a couple of four year old girls could so quickly become slippery demons when placed in water. Charlie was certain they must have each sprouted extra sets of limbs, and before the bath was finished, his clothes were soaked through, and he couldn't say with any degree of certainty that he hadn't bathed the same twin twice.

His jeans were soaked through, both with water from the tub and with sweat from the exertion put forth in catching, losing, and ultimately being forced to catch again, the slippery little beasts. He gave up attempting to dress them alone. Bravado be damned, he needed help. "Vik!" he bellowed.

Viktor came around the corner, leaving Charlie to believe that he had been lurking at the doorway and watching him make a fool of himself. Viktor looked Charlie's soaked clothes up and down and the dimple in his left cheek twitched.

"Don't you dare laugh, you bastard!"

Viktor turned his eyes to the floor in a poor attempt at hiding his amusement, and wrapped one child in a large fluffy towel, as Charlie did the same to the other.

Emily put her hand over her mouth at Charlie's language. "When Daddy says dat, Mummy makes him go to time out."

Erin chimed in, "Mummy says if little people has to go to time out for sayin' bad words, big people do too."

"It's like having Hermione-parrots. Well, your mummy isn't-"

Viktor cleared his throat loudly before Charlie could finish the sentence. "Is not setting good zampill, Charlie. Little one is right. A time out on sofa for you."

Charlie pulled a face before leaving the room. "Fine. Dress 'em yourself."

When they were clean and dressed in matching pink pyjamas with teeth brushed, they followed Viktor across the tent with blanket and dragon in chubby hands, and when he sat down, they climbed onto his lap.

Charlie stood up glaring at Viktor for successfully clothing them without his help and doing so rather quickly. Bloody show off.

"Uncle Viktor," whispered Erin, just loud enough so as to reach Charlie's ears. "Uncle Chawlie got up. Mummy says dat's against the rules."

Charlie flopped back down on the sofa, removed his wet shirt and cast a drying spell on his jeans, which was less than effective. At the sight of the large dragon tattoo weaving its way around Charlie's side and back, both girls jumped down and rushed over to investigate.

"Can we pet him, Uncle Chawlie?" asked Erin.

"We see'd it when you was sweeping on Nana's sofa one day. It open mouf and fire comed out when he say 'rawr'. Does he bite?" asked Emily.

"No, he doesn't bite. I'm sorry, I can't let you pet him though because I'm still in time out," Charlie said, folding his arms behind his head and reclining back on the sofa, so that only a small portion of the dragon was visible.

Viktor smirked. "You have learned lesson?"

"Maybe. Or maybe I need-"

Viktor crossed the room and clamped a hand over his mouth. "Is little ears in room."

Charlie, a wicked grin on his face, rolled onto his stomach so the girls could see the tattoo. "You may pet it."

The girls were enthralled with the dragon inked on their uncle's skin. They petted it and giggled when the dragon opened sleepy eyes and stretched its wings. Emily tickled its nose and it opened its mouth and shot fire across his back, which was warm, but certainly not hot enough to burn either Charlie or the children.

"Do you know what kind of dragon it is?" asked Charlie, always glad for an opportunity to teach someone about dragons. Both girls shook their heads to indicate that they did not. "Shameful! My nieces don't recognise a Hungarian Horntail. What is your mum teaching you?"

"Uncle Viktor," said Emily, "do you have a dwagon too?"

Viktor pulled off his shirt and the girls eagerly investigated the dragon's tail that started at his lower back, with the head curling around his shoulder. While the girls were busy with Viktor, Charlie headed to the loo to catch a quick shower himself. When he returned he found Viktor with a child on each knee snuggling against his chest and sucking their thumbs, as he told them a story about two little girls with hair the colour of fire who rode on dragons and had many adventures, making it up as he went along.

Charlie stood in the doorway just out of their sight and listened to the story and the girls' constant interruptions as they asked question after question. Viktor never lost patience, even when he had difficulty understanding their speech. He had been with Charlie since before the twins were born, and they loved him no differently than if he were their uncle by blood. And while Viktor would not admit it, insisting instead that he cared equally for all of Charlie's nieces and nephews, the fact that these children belonged to Hermione _had_ made a difference. He had remained close to Hermione, and had a soft spot for her daughters that extended to few others. She was, in fact, the first person to whom he had confided his sexuality, as well as the person responsible for introducing him to Charlie.

Charlie saw Erin's eyes close as she snuggled deeper into the crook of Viktor's arm, and he decided they had stayed up long enough. "Okay, time for bed," he announced, as he rounded the corner. Emily looked at him with huge eyes, her tone serious, and said, "Uncle Viktor tells the bestest stowies ever."

"You liked that, huh?" asked Charlie, smiling down at the child and holding his arms out for her. Viktor followed with Erin dozing in his arms.

She nodded and said, "Will you come tell us stowies evewy night?"

"I vill come tell you story soon, yes?"

Appeased, she climbed into the spare bed and Viktor laid Erin beside her who awoke when Emily rolled over on her. She was too tired to remain alert, however, and when Charlie covered them, both stuck their thumbs into their mouths and closed their eyes in unison. It was when they did things simultaneously that Charlie was most reminded of his own twin brothers as children. Charlie and Viktor left the room quietly and returned to the sofa.

"Zey is tired. Hermy-own-ninny needed break, yes?"

"According to Fred, she had a meltdown earlier this evening and _really_ needed a break from the girls. He's taken a week off from the shop. He didn't even do that when they went on their honeymoon. It's okay with you that I said they could come here, isn't it? I mean I would have asked you if there had been some advance warning but—"

Viktor leaned in and kissed him, mid-sentence, sliding his tongue against Charlie's lips, then past them into his mouth. Charlie reached for the younger man's belt in an attempt to work it free, but groaned when Viktor side-stepped his grasp. They broke apart and Charlie glared at him. "You're nothing but a tease."

"Is good vay make you no talk more. Is fine girls here. You know I vould help if Hermy-own-ninny need it. She is family. And family, zey help ven is needed. I vould come home early today and helped if I know. Vas fine, yes?" he asked reclining against Charlie's chest on the sofa.

"They were fine. I wouldn't have minded you seeing 'em wrap Drake around their little fingers though." Charlie brushed dark fringe back from olive-coloured skin, and smiled when Viktor closed his eyes.

"Is the vay of little girls. Make big men do vat zey vant."

"Apparently," Charlie said. "Let's see if it works for dragon keepers." Charlie reached around and pulled the hem of Viktor's shirt up fisting his hand in the material and pulling Viktor as close as possible, kissing him hard.

"I think ve go in room." Viktor stood and offered a hand to hoist Charlie up from the sofa. They started toward their room, stopping to check that the twins were sleeping soundly. Charlie stopped off at the loo, and when he entered their room Viktor stood beside the bed facing away from the door. Charlie moved behind him, startling Viktor when he pushed him down onto the bed kissing his neck and licking a trail down his back. He reached the waistband of Viktor's trousers, and he was pushed away.

"You vill vait," Viktor said reaching for a pile of clothes and going to the shower.

"You must be joking!"

Viktor grinned at him and walked from the room.

"See, a tease! Bloody bastard!"

Charlie was more tired than he realised, and he must have dozed off because the next thing he remembered was Viktor climbing in beside him and closing the space between them so that he was pressed against Charlie's back and kissing his shoulder.

"You avake?"

"I am now," he said, rolling into Viktor's embrace and kissing him intensely, running his hands up and down Viktor's chest. Things were only beginning to heat up between them when a loud squeal pierced the silence. "Parenthood is not all it's cracked up to be," said Charlie, sighing as he started to roll out of bed.

"Is okay. I vill check on zem." Viktor was out of the bed and halfway across the room before one of Charlie's feet even touched the floor.

When Viktor crawled back into the bed, it seemed to Charlie that a good deal of time had passed.

"Everything okay?" Charlie asked sleepily, resting his head on Viktor's chest and closing his eyes.

"Vas bad dream. Then zey needed drinks of vater. Zen zey needed loo. Little girls be much trouble. Is good ve only have one night. Is much tired now. Ve continue dis next night?" Viktor asked stroking his hand down the front of Charlie's shorts for emphasis.

Charlie laughed. "I guess we know why Fred and Hermione needed a break, huh? They'll probably spend the whole week shagging just to make up for lost time."

"Yes, is hard vork being mother."

* * *

Charlie and Viktor awoke the next morning to the sounds of mass chaos. Charlie was on his feet and moving purely on instinct gleaned from his years of training. He closed his eyes and said a silent prayer, and when he found the bonus room empty his heart sank. Viktor was dressed and moving past him before Charlie told him they were gone.

"I vill find them."

Charlie was still fastening various pieces of clothing when he ran out of the tent and was relieved to see the girls just a few feet away with Viktor kneeling before them.

He said a silent thank you and ran up to where they were. "You two scared the life out of me. Are you okay?"

"Zey are fine," Viktor said, though his face was as white from fear as Charlie imagined his own was.

Needing to see for himself, Charlie checked them both over and was glad to see they had no visible injuries. He looked up in time to see Drake go rushing past him. "Drake, what's going on?"

"All the wards are down. Nobody seems to know how it happened—even how it could have happened—but none of the dragons are contained. The Romanian and Bulgarian Ministries are here. One of you has to take the girls off the Reserve. Merlin, I don't need to be written up for having kids here. I need the other one of you to stay. I'm going to need all the help I can get. Viktor, will you stay? They might actually listen to you, being a celebrity and all. I don't need trouble with the Ministry—both of the Ministries. They've been itching to shut the Reserve down for years. If you talk to them, they might actually listen."

Viktor nodded. It made Charlie angry that they would ask Viktor, who would be no help with the dragons, to stay simply because of his status as a professional Quidditch player. However, Charlie knew that the future of the Reserve and the job he loved might well depend on it, so he bit his tongue.

Drake tossed Charlie the small stuffed dragon and Erin's eyes lit up, "Spot," she called wrapping her arms around her plush friend tightly.

"Guess where I found Spot?" said Drake.

Charlie slapped a hand to his forehead and closed his eyes. "Tell me they didn't."

"Can't imagine how they could, but he was right in front of the main dragon enclosure."

Charlie stood the girls in front of him. "Did you do something to let the dragons out?"

They shook their heads to indicate that they had not let the dragons out. "Why was Spot down where the dragons are if you didn't let them out? What the fuck am I saying? They're four. Those were really powerful wards on those enclosures. Hell, they don't even have wands!"

"Zey could not have done zis," said Viktor.

Charlie looked down to see his nieces covering their mouths with their hands. "Uncle Chawlie," said Emily, "Mummy says dat is not a berry nice word."

"Yes, well we don't have time for Uncle Charlie to sit in time out right now." He turned to Viktor. "You'll join us when you finish up here?"

Viktor nodded that he would and leaned closer to whisper near Charlie's ear. "You are angry zey asked me to stay, no?"

"A bit," he conceded. He had learned long ago that lying to Viktor was pointless. He could always tell when Charlie was being dishonest. "But I'm not angry _with_ you. It's not your fault, and I don't want to see them close the Reserve, so help them out as best you can."

Viktor nodded in understanding, as Charlie led the girls away.

"We know what we wanna do today, Uncle Chawlie," said Emily, ignoring the chaos surrounding them.

At that, both girls smiled at him with the identical evil grins of Fred and George Weasley.

* * *

Bill was waiting at the meeting point when Charlie showed up with a twin attached to each of his hands wailing, "We don't wanna go wif Uncle Bill. Wanna stay wif you, Uncle Chawlie."

Bill grinned, "It looks like you have some new admirers, Charlie."

"What can I say? The ladies love me, ya know. The blokes do too for that matter."

Bill sniggered, "Yeah, until they grow up and get some sense. Speaking of blokes, where's Viktor?"

"He had some _things_ he had to attend to. It's taken longer than he expected."

"What'd you do to these two to make them adore you? 'Cause if you fed them tons of chocolate frogs before I take them home, I swear you will pay." Bill lifted Emily from the ground and tickled her tummy.

"Stop it, Uncle Bill. You'll tickle my dwagon. He's sweeping."

"Your dragon? Charlie, tell me you didn't do what I think you did."

"Girls, show Uncle Bill your dragons." Both girls proudly raised their shirts to display two magic dragon tattoos on their tummies. "Lighten up, Bill. They'll fade. They're not permanent."

"Yeah, well you just better hope they fade before their mum sees them. Temporary things on these two do not seem to work as they do on other kids. From what I've heard, Hermione riled up is a hell of a lot worse than any dragon, little brother."

End of Part Two


	3. Chapter 3: Losing Gracefully

We Start and End with Family by Luvscharlie

_"Other things may change us, but we start and end with the family."_ –Anthony Brandt

**Part 3: Losing with Grace**

_

* * *

_

"Sometimes the best gain is to lose."

-George Herbert

* * *

Fred and Hermione sat at their kitchen table playing a game of wizard chess. Fred shifted uncomfortably in his chair across the table from her. Hermione put her hand on her chin, as though in deep thought, pondering her next move, when in reality she was trying to hide the smirk teasing at the corners of her mouth.

She was wearing a rather low-cut shirt in combination with a bra that pushed her breasts together and gave them a flattering lift, so that each time she leaned over the chessboard, he was given a teasing view of her cleavage, just as she had planned when suggesting that they play well over an hour ago. As a testament to how distracted he was, she was actually winning for the first time.

When it was his turn to move, she reached over to the far end of the board to retrieve his mostly full glass, which needed refilling not in the least. She heard him groan when she practically fell out of the neckline of her shirt, "I'll get you some more Firewhisky, love." She flashed him a smile, as she sashayed across the kitchen in a pair of jeans that were a bit too tight and which she knew drove him mad. She topped off his drink and crossed the room to stand at his side and placed the drink at his elbow.

He attempted to pull her onto his lap, but she wiggled away from him. "Our game is not finished," she taunted, smacking away his hands.

Fred stuck out his lower lip, and when that failed to get him what he wanted, he downed the glass of Firewhisky much too quickly and spluttered and coughed as it burned its way down his throat.

"Burn?" she asked.

He scowled at her, but refused to answer. "Move, witch," he said, indicating the chess pieces remaining on the board.

"Don't rush me. I'm thinking." Hermione took a long time looking at the pieces on the board, stretching out the game and increasing her husband's frustration by tenfold. "Fred, who has the girls today?" She twirled a curl between her fingers and rubbed her bare foot down the leg of his trousers beneath the table.

Unfortunately, his reflexes were much better than hers. He successfully captured her foot between his calves, though she tried to pull it away, and tugged it onto his lap very nearly unseating her. "Percy and Penelope have them tonight, I think."

She whimpered as he massaged the sole of her foot with the pads of his thumbs. It's just—hm," she said contemplating her next move and attempting to ignore the distraction he was creating with the way he was manipulating her toes. "Penelope has been—oh, right there, Fred, that feels nice—good for him."

"Yep. Way too good for him, if you ask me."

"I did not ask you. Checkmate," she said smirking at him.

"Granger, you beat me," he said, in what she suspected was a feigned tone of surprise. He dropped her foot and was around the table and pushing her over it before the sentence was out of his mouth.

"Admit it, Weasley, you let me win so you could have your way with me." He worked her jeans and knickers down her legs and tossed them to the side, kissing his way up her spine and yanking her shirt over her head.

"If I admit it, are you going to make me play again?" he whinged, tossing her bra in the same direction her shirt had previously gone.

"Yes," she said, attempting to remove herself from his grasp.

"Then you beat me fair and square," he said, as he bent her over the table and opened her with probing fingers that gently pushed their way inside.

"Is this my prize?" she asked between moans of pleasure.

"No, sweets. This is merely a preview of your prize."

Her hours of teasing had her as worked up and wanting as he, and as much as she savoured the times he made love to her slowly and sweetly, this was not the time for that. "Fuck me, Fred."

He removed his fingers and buried himself deeply inside her. His thumb worked her clit in fast circles to match the rhythm of his thrusts. "Are you close, baby?"

"Gods, yes."

"Don't know how much longer I can last," he gasped. "Merlin! I love fucking you, Granger. Can't ever get enough."

His words were the final impetus she needed. Her body trembled, and she felt his release follow her own, as he collapsed atop her back.

"Love you, baby," Fred said, as he placed a kiss on her shoulder.

End of Part 3


	4. Chapter 4: Sugar and Spice

_"Other things may change us, but we start and end with the family."_ –Anthony Brandt

**Part 4: Sugar and Spice**

* * *

_"That's what little girls are made of."_ - Author Unknown

* * *

When Percy got home that evening, Penelope and his brother's twin daughters were in the kitchen making biscuits. The counters were cluttered with cutters of all shapes and sizes, different coloured frostings and little sparkly sweets for decoration.

Percy smiled when he heard the little girls' happy chattering followed by his wife's melodic laughter. Nothing made him smile like the sound of Penny laughing.

He stood in the kitchen doorway silently watching them. Penny had pulled up two chairs for the girls to stand on so they could reach the counter and cut out biscuits in the shapes of their choice. He heard one small voice say, "Aunt Penny, what's dis one?"

"Oh, Emily, that one's my favourite," she said, "I am so glad you found it. It's a unicorn. Uncle Percy bought me that one when we were still at Hogwarts, and last time I made it I decorated it with beautiful rainbow sprinkles." She reached up into a cabinet. "Oh good. I still have some."

Both sets of small, chubby hands reached for the unicorn biscuit cutter and proceeded to play tug-o-war with it.

"I wanna make the uni- the uni- the horsey."

"No, Ewin, I found it first."

"Now, now," said Penny, "you can both make unicorns." Percy was curious as to how his wife would deal with who got to make the first one, and had to admit he was impressed with the way she handled them, managing to make both happy. "Girls, do you mind if I make the first unicorn, since it's my favourite one?"

Percy was surprised when the girls handed the biscuit cutter to Penny with no argument. They seemed entranced as she cut out her unicorn and reached for coloured toothpicks. "Emily, what's your favourite colour?" Penny asked, handing the biscuit cutter to Erin, and letting Emily pick out her favourite colour toothpick. When Erin finished, she handed Emily the biscuit cutter and eagerly reached for a yellow toothpick, as Penny instructed her to put the toothpick in her unicorn, so she would know which one belonged to her after they baked. "Now, let's hope Uncle Percy remembers the ice cream on the way home," she said, as the girls continued cutting out biscuits.

Percy approached his wife from behind and held the ice cream out in front of her. "He did."

Penny squealed in surprise, causing both girls to startle, and Erin would have toppled from the chair if Percy hadn't caught her. "Percy Weasley," Penny said, with her hand covering her heart, "Are you trying to scare us to death?"

"I'm sorry I frightened you," he said, smiling at her. "I have been watching you from the doorway for a while, and I suppose I forgot you didn't know I was there."

"Aunt Penny," said Erin, "is Uncle Pewcy in twouble?"

"Does he have to go to time out?" asked Emily. "Me and Ewin have to go to time out a lot," she said in her serious voice.

Percy chuckled at the child, as Penny kissed her on the forehead. "But you've been such good girls since I came to get you."

"Aunt Fwer didn't fink we was vewy good," said Emily, as Erin nodded in agreement with her sister's statement.

Penny smiled sympathetically at them.

"Penny won't send me to time out, girls. She's _much_ nicer than Aunt Fleur." Identical red heads bobbed up and down in agreement.

Penny kissed him on the cheek and whispered, "Sweet talker. Think that will get you something?" She leaned in closer to whisper, "It just might, you know." Percy barely maintained the groan in his throat.

His wife nodded toward a covered plate on the counter. "We saved your dinner, honey. The girls were hungry, so I fed them hours ago."

"Oh," he said looking at his watch. He hadn't thought he left work late, and his watch confirmed that it was only 6:00 p.m. The girls weren't even scheduled to arrive that evening until 7:00.

Penny seemed to understand his confusion and said, "Um, the girls wanted to come a bit early, and Fleur didn't seem to have an objection, so I went and got them."

Percy grabbed his wife's hand and pulled her into the adjoining room. "Let me guess," Percy whispered out of earshot of the girls, "she Flooed and begged you to take them early."

"Um, not exactly. She Flooed to say that she couldn't wait to get rid of them, and I could hear them crying in the background so—"

"So you went and got them." He smiled at her blush.

"Well, yes." Her tone became somewhat defensive. "But it wasn't like I had huge plans for the day. I just changed a few things around."

"So how've the little monsters been since they got here?" he whispered, making sure the twins were still at the counter cutting out their biscuits.

Penny looked at him with the expression he had come to know was the most severe she was capable of making. "Percy Weasley, you take that back. They're normal kids, and they have _a lot_ of energy, but honestly, I've had one of the best days with them. I love how honest they are."

Percy tried not to grin when he asked, "And what did they _honestly_ say about my lovely sister-in-law, whom you detest?"

Penny blushed before turning up her nose and walking back into the kitchen with Percy following at her heels, "Girl talk is not to be repeated in the presence of men."

Percy sniggered, reached for a fork, and began to eat from his plate while standing at the counter and watching his wife and nieces.

"Ew," Erin cried, "Uncle Pewcy's dot bwussel spwouts. Dat's even badder than time out."

Emily nodded her agreement. "What did he do bad, Aunt Penny?"

Percy looked up at his niece, and gave his wife a knowing smirk as he finished off the remainder of his dinner. He leaned against the stove and crossed his arms over his chest, before asking, "And what did Aunt Penny feed you for dinner, Erin? Sweets? Chocolate frogs? Treacle tart?"

Penny interceded before the child could speak. "Once again, _that_ is girl talk." She glared at Percy, daring him to ask another question. "And now, girls, if we can get Uncle Percy to move his bum off my stove, we will put these in the oven to bake. While they are baking, I will give the two of you a bath and get your pyjamas on so we can be ready to decorate them when they come out. Percy, will you watch them for us?"

"I will, dear."

Erin and Emily both giggled, before Erin spoke up, "Aunt Penny's not a deer, silly." Then came the protests. "Don't wanna take a baf, Aunt Penny," wailed Erin.

"No baf," said Emily.

Percy watched closely to see how his wife, who was an only child and had little experience with children, particularly those belonging to his twin brother, would handle the uprising. He was certain that when faced with the challenge of wailing four year olds, Penny wouldn't know what to do. His mouth fell open when she said, "Okay, you don't have to take a bath." He had not expected her to cave so easily to their demands. He hoped this was not the way she planned to raise their children, should they choose to have some in the future.

Both girls looked rather pleased with themselves, and Percy was reminded of his twin brothers when they were younger. He opened his mouth to say something, but his wife began speaking before he could, so he closed it again.

"Gee, I was looking forward to using the brand new enchanted bubble bath I bought. I've been saving it for when you came to visit me because it is supposed to make pink bubbles in the shapes of dragons, hippogriffs and unicorns." Penny sighed, looking sad. "I guess now I'll have to wait until you come back next time."

Percy watched the twins' reactions with interest, convinced that they would never fall for his wife's trickery. The girls were clever, and no doubt Hermione had tried this kind of thing to fool them before. His mouth fell open again when they wrapped their arms around Penny's legs and one said, "Don't be sad, Aunt Penny." The other followed up with, "We'll let you pway wif the pink bubbles."

Penny walked past him, following the girls from the room, "Close your mouth, dear, and do not let those biscuits scorch."

As Percy stood in the kitchen shaking his head, his oldest brother stepped from the fireplace in the adjoining room.

"Hello, Bill," Percy said. "What brings you here? I understand yours is the quiet house this evening."

"Erin forgot Spot at my house, and as Penny was nice enough to take them early, I thought the least I could do was bring him to her. Erin's going to need him at bedtime. Trust me, you do not want a bedtime like the one we had last night. I'm surprised she hasn't missed him already."

Percy opened the oven and removed the biscuits mere seconds before Penny yelled from the other room for him to check them. "I have them, dear."

"Thanks, honey," she called, followed by two little copycat voices giggling and saying, "Fanks, honey."

Bill and Percy both chuckled, as Percy called back. "You are quite welcome."

Bill looked around the kitchen, which looked as though a tornado had torn a path through it, and said, "Yes, the twins have been here. How are you two holding up?"

"I just got here, but Penny seems to be having the time of her life. I hear their behaviour did not impress Fleur very much, however."

"Yeah, well, she wasn't very well behaved either," Bill relented. "One night in four years that Fred has asked us to watch his girls, and Fleur acts as though she's been asked to move them in with us. She seems to have forgotten when Victoire was a baby how often Hermione babysat before she and Fred were even married."

"You seem a bit upset," Percy remarked.

"More than a bit," said Bill. "If Charlie can manage to keep them for twenty-four hours without mishap, why can't Fleur and I? It bothers me even more that she doesn't seem in the least upset or embarrassed that Penny had to come and get them early."

"In all fairness, Penny said Fleur did not ask her to come and get them early."

Bill rolled his eyes, making it clear that Fleur had known what she was doing when she made contact with Penny while the children were crying in the background. He looked up as the twins, now clean, came chattering down the hall ahead of Penny. They froze when they saw him, then ran to hide behind Penny's legs. "Aunt Penny said we don't haf to go back to Aunt Fwer's house. We wanna stay hewe."

Percy actually pitied how ashamed Bill looked at the twins' reaction to his presence. Bill knelt down on their level and said, "It's all right. I didn't come to get you, but Spot," he said, pulling the stuffed dragon from behind his back, "missed his mummy."

Erin ran forward to take the dragon from Bill. "Oi," he said, as she scampered back over to Penelope, "Don't I even get a hug for bringing him back?"

They approached him, but their looks were cautious, as though he might take them back to his house and the aunt they clearly did not like. Erin was quite perceptive, Percy thought. She seemed to sense that Bill was unhappy at their reaction, and she offered a bit of comfort. "Uncle Bill," said Erin, "Spot wikes you, but he doesn't wike Aunt Fwer."

Bill changed the subject. "Uncle Percy said you're decorating biscuits with Aunt Penny tonight." He laughed when both girls started chattering at once about everything they had done with Penny that day, and Percy was just quick enough to move the hot pan from the stovetop before Emily's hand grabbed it. Unfortunately, he only just had time to react, and though he saved the child from a burn, he successfully burned himself.

Penny came forward with her wand to heal it, as the twins watched intently. When it was healed and Penny had put her wand away, Erin piped up. "Mummy gives it a kiss when I get an owee." Penny kissed Percy's palm making both girls giggle.

Bill put both of the girls in chairs at the kitchen table, adding cushions so they would be tall enough to reach what they needed to decorate their biscuits, laughing as the excited chatter started up again.

"Uncle Bill, do you wanna do one?"

"Thanks Squirt," Bill said, ruffling Erin's hair, "but I can't stay. Aunt Fleur's waiting for me."

When Bill had gone, Percy looked at the twins and noted that they were no longer chattering happily and, in fact, they were looking a bit sad. Penny noticed the change in the girls as well.

"Why the sad faces?" she asked.

Erin's lip trembled. "Poor Uncle Bill. He has to go back to Aunt Fwer's house."

"Yeah," said Emily, "and she's gots wots of time out chairs."

Percy rose from his chair and began to clean up the mess in the kitchen as Penny assured the twins that Bill would not be sad.

"Percy, darling, I'll clean up the mess."

"No, I will get it. I don't mind."

Penny winked at the girls before going to help her husband clean up. He picked up a bag of sugar and she reached to take it from him. "Penny, I said I would clean up."

"Percy, just give me the bag." She reached to take it from his hand as he protested and pulled it back towards him. The bag ripped sending sugar spilling all over the counter and floor. The majority of the sugar had covered Percy's clothes, leaving Penny virtually sugar-free as she covered her mouth to keep from laughing.

The girls were incredibly quiet, watching intently to see what would happen next. They had seen these kinds of messes before, but they usually resulted in _them_ being in trouble. This was quite a new phenomenon: a mess that adults had caused.

Percy clenched his teeth. "I said I would get it."

"And I think you did," his wife retorted, no longer trying to hide her giggles.

He grabbed her around the waist and kissed her as sugar spilled from his clothes, now covering her, and she struggled to get away. "Percy! Let go!"

Erin spoke up. "When Daddy does dat, Mummy says Fwed not in fwont of the childwen."

* * *

Percy showered and dressed in a pair of silk pyjamas as the girls finished decorating and eating their biscuits. When he re-entered the kitchen, Penny was just putting the lid on the biscuit tin and the girls were rubbing at sleepy eyes.

"I think it's time for some of us to go to bed," Percy said. Taking Emily's pink blanket from a chair back and handing it to her. The child began to rub it between the fingers of her left hand and popped her right thumb into her mouth. Fred had done the same thing with his own blanket as a baby, though his had been cast aside long before the age of four as a result of older brothers who teased him. Percy lifted the child and her head went immediately to rest on his shoulder.

"I think Uncle Percy's right. You two have had a long day," said Penny, passing Erin the plush dragon and lifting her to follow Percy down the hall to the bonus room.

They placed the girls together in the extra double bed, each still sucking her thumb with eyes closed. Penny reached for the storybook that she had saved from her own childhood and began to read.

Percy settled himself on the sofa to read some of the reports he had brought home with him from the office. He was reading a parchment intently when it was suddenly jerked from his fingers and tossed across the room."

"Oi! What are you—I was working on that."

His wife plopped down into his lap, freshly showered and dressed in his least favourite of all her nightgowns. It looked like something his mother would wear, and while it was a perfectly suitable nightgown for mothers, it was not befitting wives at all.

"And now you can work on me."

"This again?" he asked, tugging at the prudish-looking garment, but smiling at the suggestive tone of her voice.

"Don't you like it?" she asked, feigning at being coy.

"You know perfectly well I do not."

"Hm, perhaps what is underneath it might be more to your liking," she said as she tugged the ugly gown over her head to reveal the skimpiest red and white lace lingerie Percy had ever seen her wear. She was typically much too reserved for such garments, even with him, so this was a pleasant surprise.

Percy was speechless. He wasted no time in tugging her down the hallway to their room, and kicking the door closed with his foot. The door made a loud slamming noise, and Penny shushed him and reminded him they were not alone.

"Shh, you'll wake them!"

Percy apologised and followed her to their bed. She reclined atop the duvet, resting her weight on her elbows. She winked at him as he stood there drinking in the sight of her. It was in moments like these when Percy Weasley was struck by what a lucky man he was. He didn't marry a beautiful Veela girl like Bill, nor did he have an exciting and dangerous career like Charlie; he wasn't a famous Quidditch player like Ron with his choice of pretty witches to parade about on his arm; and he wasn't one of the twins with a wildly successful business or, at least in Fred's case, a happy little family to come home to. But, Percy thought, he was a luckier wizard than his brothers could ever hope to be. He had Penny to come home to each night and in his eyes, there wasn't a more wonderful witch than his Penny.

She loved him in spite of all his faults and, though not what most would consider pretty, Percy thought she was beautiful. His mother had been correct when she described Penny after meeting her for the first time, saying she radiated beauty from the inside out. In his opinion, it was a foolish wizard who did not recognise it for what it was. Her long brown curls framed her face, a contrast to the stark white of the pillow she lay upon.

She pulled him down on top of her, and he made love to her with the slow precision and meticulous manner that was his nature. He wasn't the type to lose control, but no lover had ever complained about his attention to detail in the bedroom. It was, after all, to their benefit that he was studious in his pursuit to learn every curve of their bodies and study their reactions to his touches, when few men took the time. He knew how to string words together in pretty ways that, when whispered in ears at just the right moments left women trembling beneath him.

Tonight, theirs was a long, slow and passion-filled coupling that left Penny breathless in his arms. Penny welcomed his embrace and Percy pulled her tightly against him.

"I'm surprised they still suck their thumbs, aren't you?"

"Huh?" How had they gone from mind-numbing orgasm to discussing thumb-sucking in less than a full two minutes' time?

"Well, I mean, it's just with Hermione's parents being dentists and all, I'm surprised they suck their thumbs."

"Oh," Percy said, as realisation dawned that they were discussing his nieces sleeping in the next room. "Fred and George sucked theirs as well. Come to think of it, so did Ron. Mum used to put nasty tasting potions on their thumbs, but nothing deterred them. Dad swears George was sucking his thumb within moments of birth."

"Do they look as the twins did when they were children?" Penelope asked.

Percy laughed at the question. "Trying to decide what our baby might look like again, should we decide to have one?" He didn't wait for an answer. "Yes, they look a good bit like the twins, but I see their mother as well. They have Hermione's eyes and curls." Percy touched her face and tilted her chin up to him, "Did you have fun today?"

"I did. Lots of fun in fact," she said, before closing her eyes.

"I am glad."

"I love you, Percy," she said resting her hand on his chest.

"I love you too," he replied, placing his own hand atop hers.

End of Part 4


	5. Chapter 5: Bird Watching

_"Other things may change us, but we start and end with the family."_ –Anthony Brandt

**Part 5: Bird Watching**

* * *

_"Children seldom misquote. In fact, they usually repeat word for word what you shouldn't have said."_ - Author Unknown

* * *

As the morning light poured through the window of their room, Hermione rolled over, stretched and snuggled down against Fred's side. He wrapped his arm around her. "Mornin', baby," he said through a yawn.

"They'll be home in a few days," Hermione said, shifting to see the look on his face.

"Um hm." Her husband was clearly not ready to start the day, and he stroked her hair back from her face and nuzzled his nose into the crook of her neck.

"I'm glad," she said. "I really have missed them."

Fred's hand clamped down over her forehead. "You don't feel feverish. Perhaps I shagged you senseless."

"No, but you do get an 'O' for effort. Do you realise we haven't left this house all week long?"

"That's 'cause it's not as easy to keep you starkers in public. But, I'm willing to give it a try. Do you want to go somewhere today, love?" he asked, yawning and stretching.

She shook her head after he managed to pry open his sleepy eyes, "I don't want to waste a day when I can have you all to myself to go somewhere and share you with other people."

Fred growled. "You know it turns me on when you get all possessive like that."

"Everything turns you on."

"Does not," he huffed, before pinning her down and kissing her neck. "Only everything that involves my sexy wife." He propped himself up, with an elbow on each side of her, as his tongue teased lightly across her lower lip and his fingers found a bare nipple and tweaked it.

"Oi, stop that. I don't _want_ to go anywhere, but I'm supposed to meet Mum for lunch at the Leaky Cauldron. We set it up last week, and frankly I forgot until I woke up this morning. If you start that, I'm never going to make it on time."

Fred stuck out his lower lip and returned to the task of teasing her. "Punctuality is overrated."

"The pouty lip, adorable though it is, didn't work during our chess game two days ago. What makes you think it's going to work now?"

"I look more pitiful today, don't I?"

"Maybe," she said, teasing his pouting lower lip with her thumb. "Didn't you say you needed to go by the shop today anyway?"

"That'll only take a couple of minutes. What am I supposed to do the rest of the time you're gone?" he whinged.

"When I am late, you'll be here entertaining my mother. If I'm not there when she thinks I should be, she's going to come here, and then we'll never be rid of her."

Fred rolled off her and flopped over on his back, "Boy, when you set out to make a point, you know how to do it."

Hermione showered and dressed quickly, then followed the smell of freshly brewed coffee to the kitchen where her husband sat at the table reading the _Daily Prophet_. "I have a proposition for you, my handsome husband."

Fred quirked an eyebrow at her. "You have my attention." He patted his leg and she sat on his lap draping her arms around his neck.

"Since we are both going to be in Diagon Alley today, I thought you might meet me for a date."

"A date, huh? I don't know. Am I guaranteed to get a leg over at the end of this 'date'?"

"What kind of girl do you think I am?"

Fred looked at his watch. "The kind of girl's who's going to be late for lunch with her mother if she doesn't get moving. Where should I meet you for our 'date'?"

"Florean Fortescue's in a couple of hours?"

"Sounds like a plan." Fred kissed her on the cheek before she Apparated away to meet her mother at the Leaky Cauldron.

* * *

They finished their lunch before she was to meet Fred, but Hermione and her mother walked over and sat at one of the tables outside Florean Fortescue's ice cream parlour.

"Oh, Hermione, dear, I know we're early but I see your husband over there. Oh, and he has my granddaughters. Do call him over, won't you?" asked Mrs. Granger.

"I would, but that's not Fred. It's George. It must be his day to have the girls."

"You would think I could tell them apart by now, wouldn't you?" asked her mother.

Recalling the shower incident of a few days earlier, Hermione felt her cheeks heat up as she responded, "Yes, well, it's an easy mistake to make."

Both Erin and Emily were holding ice cream cones and tagging along behind George giggling, though about what Hermione couldn't make out. When he found a table, he hauled each girl up into a chair before sitting down himself. George laughed as he leaned forward to wipe ice cream from the end of Erin's nose. Emily struggled to climb down from her chair without dropping her ice cream and finally managed to do so.

"Where ya goin', Lil' Weasel?" asked George.

"Wanna sit wif you," she said, dropping the majority of her ice cream into his lap in her attempt to climb onto his knee. He yelped, making both girls giggle, when the cold seeped through his jeans to a rather sensitive area of his body. Hermione, too, bit her lip to keep from giving away her position with her laughter.

George used his wand to rid himself of the ice cream and hauled the child up onto his knee, as Hermione and her mother looked on.

"He's rather good with them, isn't he?" asked her mother.

Hermione laughed, "He's actually better with them than me or Fred. He gets to send them home, so he tends to have a higher level of patience. Him and Fred being twins, I think he feels a different connection to them than Fred's other brothers."

About that time, Alicia Spinnett walked up to George. "George Weasley! It's been forever since I saw you last." She gave the girls a once over. "Merlin, are these your kids?"

"Hiya, Alicia. Meet my nieces. That's Erin over there in the chair and this is Emily."

"Nice to meet you," Alicia said, smiling down at Erin.

"You're pretty," said the child.

"They're one of your brothers' then?" Alicia asked, smiling brightly at the child's compliment.

"Fwed's my daddy," said Erin.

"Me too," said Emily.

"I used to go to school with your daddy and your Uncle George," Alicia said. She turned her attention to George then, "So what are you doing these days, George?"

"I doubt you missed the sign. You had to walk right past the shop and it sort of has its own special glow about it."

Alicia smiled, "So did you get married too?"

George returned the smile. "Nope. Fred's kids are enough. I can borrow them and send them back home again when I'm finished with them."

"Well, you should look me up," Alicia said, reaching for a napkin and taking a self-inking quill from her purse. "Here's my new address."

As Alicia walked away, George high-fived the twins. "Good job, girls!"

Hermione groaned. "If you'll excuse me for a moment, Mother. I'm going to go kill my brother-in-law."

"Oh, Hermione, leave him alone. He's harmless, and you have a date, or have you forgotten?"

"I'm not letting him use my daughters to pick up women."

Fred walked up to his twin at that moment and the girls started bouncing up and down and squealing, "Daddy!"

"Oi, Fred. What are you doing here?" asked George. "Did Lee tell you where we were?"

"No. I'm here to meet my wife for a date."

"I haven't seen—Hermione's here then?"

"She's supposed to be," replied Fred, looking around.

George looked around as well. "Uh-oh."

Fred was lifting Emily into his arms when Hermione walked up and smacked her brother-in-law in the back of the head with the book her mother had brought her.

"Blast it all, woman! I'm gonna need my head." George rubbed at the offended area of his scalp.

"I'll believe that when you start using it for something other than a place to hold your hat."

"What'd you do?" Fred asked his twin, wrapping an arm around Hermione's waist as Emily lunged for her mother.

"Uncle George is teaching us how to pull birds today." The child looked skyward, "We hasn't seen none though."

Hermione sat down in a chair and both girls clambered up onto her lap. She kissed their foreheads and looked down at their faces. "Your brother was using our daughters to pick up women."

"You can hex him later, babe. We have a date."

"I wanna go on a date wif Daddy," said Erin, running over to grab Fred's leg.

"Me too!" said Emily, mimicking her twin's actions.

"I will not be sorry when they get a bit taller," Fred said, in a voice audibly higher than his normal timbre.

George nodded his agreement. "Yep, that's happened twice to me today. Makes you wonder how Dad survived seven of us, huh?"

Fred pulled a face as his oblivious daughters whinged loudly to be taken on this 'date,' they had just heard about.

Hermione moved to her husband's side and said, "I'll take my mother back to the Leaky Cauldron. She won't be able to get back through by herself, and then I'll be back."

"I'll do it, Hermione," said George, kneeling down on the girls' level and whispering something she couldn't hear. Both stopped begging to go with their parents and latched onto each of George's hands.

Hermione decided she did not want to know what George had told them, as it was sure to be something for which she would not approve.

"Tell Daddy he owes you a date 'cause you have to be Uncle George's dates today."

"I'll get the ice cream," said Fred. "You find us a table." She sat down at the one George had just vacated, but he leaned over her shoulder and whispered. "Away from everyone else."

Fred joined her at the table farthest from the street with the largest dish of ice cream she had seen in her life.

"Does this look familiar, love?" he asked.

"No. Why?"

"The last time you had one we were still living in the flat over the store and you—"

"Merlin, yes, I do remember. I can't believe I had forgotten. I was six months pregnant with the twins and had the most powerful craving for ice cream at—what time was it?"

"Like three in the morning." He dipped a spoon into the scoop of strawberry ice cream. "It's a good thing you're not the first pregnant witch who's had a need for ice cream before the sun came up."

Hermione picked up the other spoon and dove into the chocolate. "Mr. Fortescue was quite understanding when you showed up at the door, wasn't he?"

"Yep, just showed me a back way into his shop and said not to wake him next time you needed an ice cream fix, just leave the Sickles on the counter."

"You never told me that!"

"That's 'cause as much as I love you, I did not have a desire to go out in the middle of the night and freeze my arse off every time you wanted ice cream."

They ate almost a fourth of the dish before both proclaimed they couldn't eat another bite. "And you ate one of these by yourself before."

"Oh, you're exaggerating."

"Exaggerating? It was a little bigger than this because poor old Mr. Fortescue was afraid you'd send me back if there wasn't enough, so he piled the ice cream on there."

She burst into a fit of giggles, "Was it really this big?"

"Yep."

* * *

They walked down Diagon Alley with her arm threaded through his, resting her hand on his forearm. When they passed Eeylops, Hermione caught sight of her daughters' red heads inside the shop.

"Fred, if he gets them pets, I'll kill him. I have enough to look after and I am not—"

"Whoa, baby. He's not. We've been talking about getting a Kneazle to keep at Wheezes. Ever since that restaurant moved across the street—"

"The one that smells so terrible?"

"The very one. We've been gettin' rats ever since, and Lee said we either get rid of the rats or he's leaving."

"He meant it too," said Lee from behind them. "Hey Hermione. Enjoying your week?"

"I am, thank you."

"Who the fuck's tending the shop, if you and George are here?" asked Fred incredulously.

"Verity has it under control. Relax, would ya. We're goin' right back. I just got a Floo Call that George needed help bringing back the Kneazles."

"Did you say Kneazle**s**, as in more than one?"

"Yep, it appears the salesman told the girls they were 'twins,' so we couldn't leave one behind, could we?"

"Smart salesman. I think we may have to give him your job."

"Get outta here, Weasley, before I take you up on that offer and you have to work today."

* * *

Fred and Hermione strolled farther down Diagon Alley. "We haven't done this since we were dating, have we?" she asked.

Fred smiled down at her, "Probably not. You know, I can think of something else we haven't done since we were dating." He tugged her down an alleyway next to a building.

"Fred," she hissed, "what are you doing? It's the middle of the day. We are not doing what I think you think we're doing back here. Anybody could see us."

He pushed her back against the rough brick of the building and brought his lips down hard on hers. His hand slid up her bare thigh and beneath her skirt. His knuckles grazed roughly over her already dampening knickers causing her to groan and him to smirk at her reaction.

"I remember how much doing this used to turn you on. What do ya say we see if it still does?" He slipped his finger beneath the edge of her knickers. "Ah, it does," he said making contact with her slick folds.

"Fred," she said from deep within her throat.

"Hm?"

"Stop gloating and fuck me, will you?"

Fred opened his trousers, lifted her legs to wrap around his waist, pushed her knickers to the side and slid his finger inside her.

"I'm ready, Fred. You don't have to go slow."

"Thank Merlin, 'cause I wasn't sure I could."

He drove into her, pushing her against the rough bricks and scratching her back with each thrust as her shirt bunched up. She was well past caring, her orgasm seemingly just beyond her reach. Fred came hard and fast, leaving her wanting when he dropped his head to her shoulder, breathing heavily in her ear.

"Gods, baby, there is nothing like being inside you."

Hermione whimpered. "Fred, please," she begged. "I need more."

He dropped to his knees in front of her, tugged her knickers down and licked her to completion. She wasn't quiet as she came and she thought she heard footsteps coming closer just as Fred Apparated them home.

End of Part 5


	6. Chapter 6: The Weasley Family Dinner

**Part 6: The Weasley Family Dinner**

_

* * *

__"O__ther things may change us, but we start and end with the family."_ -Anthony Brandt

* * *

When Hermione and Fred stepped out of the fireplace at the Burrow, their daughters were sitting at the kitchen table, one on either side of Arthur, telling him in excited voices about their week, as Molly listened to them from the stove, inserting an occasional "really" or "ooh" when appropriate.

Everyone was present except for Ron and Bill, and their voices could be heard from the adjoining room. Fred released Hermione's hand and went off in search of his twin as Hermione went to kiss her animated children.

When Fred re-entered the room with his siblings in tow, the girls were mid-story quickly relaying the events so that they were difficult to understand if you didn't listen closely.

"Then white stuff getted all over the floor, and Uncle Pewcy kissed Aunt Penny," said Erin.

"Perce, what the hell have you been doing in front of my kids?" Fred asked, smirking, as Percy blushed a deeper shade of red than his hair.

"Daddy," said Emily, "we telled Uncle Pewcy that Mummy always say 'Fwed, not in fwont of da childwen' when you do dat."

"Perce, what the fuck?" said Fred, as he took a seat next to his wife; it was, however, a very unwise decision indeed, placing himself near Hermione.

She landed a sharp elbow to his ribs. "Fred!"

"Ow, babe!"

"Fred Weasley! You will not use that language in my kitchen," chastised Molly.

"Sorry, Mum. But, I know what I'm usually doing when she tells me that. And trust me when I say it's not something that's appropriate in front of kids." Fred said the majority of the statement under his breath, as he continued to rub at the sore spot on his ribs. "Damn it, baby, that one hurt."

"So brother," chimed in George, "what are you usually trying to do that you shouldn't be in front my darling nieces?"

"Well, I-" Hermione's hand clamped down over his mouth.

"Such a bad influence," teased George.

"Yeah, Perce, no need for you to corrupt my kids. That's what they've got me and George for," Fred said after successfully prying his wife's hand from his mouth.

In an attempt to move the focus of the conversation from him, Percy looked at his nieces and said, "Ladies, why don't you show everyone what you got at Uncle Charlie's."

"Where's Viktor, by the way, dear?" asked Molly.

Charlie narrowed his eyes and gave Percy his best, I-didn't-say-anything-so-why-did-you-turn-on-me look, followed closely by the you-will-pay-for-this-later look. "He'll be here soon, Mum."

The girls eagerly yanked up their shirts to display the tattoos of the dragons on their tummies, still as clearly vivid as the day they got them. Hermione gritted her teeth before turning to her brother-in-law. "How long are these supposed to last, _Uncle_ Charlie?"

"Um, three days," Charlie said, choking on the bite of mashed potatoes he had placed in his mouth.

"And when did they get them?"

"Seven days ago," he mumbled under his breath, directing his gaze at his plate.

"Mummy, do you wike 'em?" asked Erin, pointing proudly at her tummy.

"Oh, it's lovely, sweetheart."

"It's a Hungwy Horny-Tail," said Emily.

"Sounds like we need to get one of those for Perce," said George.

Everyone laughed and Charlie flashed Percy his best 'serves-you-right' smile.

"Uncle Chawlie's got a dwagon on his tummy too," said Emily.

"And Uncle Viktor's got one on his back," said Erin.

As if on cue, Viktor stepped from the fireplace.

"Oh hello, Viktor dear," said Molly, getting an additional plate from the cabinet.

He held up his hand. "No, thank you. I cannot stay. I must go back to finish meeting. Ve have permission to re-open Reserve soon, I hope," Viktor said.

"Permission to re-open it. What happened that it was closed, Viktor?" asked Hermione.

Viktor shot an angry look at Charlie. "You did not tell zem?"

"They only just got here," said Charlie, looking back at his plate again. "I was gonna.

But, before I start, I just want to say that Ron took them flying, and he had Lavender with him." Charlie clearly wanted the attention off him before telling his story, and he had known exactly what button to push with Hermione.

"He let that slag around my daughters?" she ranted. "We have talked about that."

"Mummy, what's a slag?" asked Emily.

Hermione's face turned red at her daughter's question.

"Oi! Stop everything! I want it noted for the record that Uncle George did not teach them that word. They did not learn 'slag' from me. All the others were my doing, but that one was not!"

* * *

Hermione was grateful when they stepped out of the fireplace and into their own flat with their daughters in tow. She put them straight to bed and they fell asleep almost instantly.

A storm was brewing outside and lightning silhouetted Fred's body when she entered their room. Thunder masked all sound as she stripped off her clothes and laid down beside him pressing her nude body to his.

Fred began kissing her as the thunder cracked overhead. There was a shriek from down the hall and Fred dropped his head to her chest with a frustrated sigh. Hermione pulled on her dressing gown and headed down the hall to comfort her child. When she re-entered the room, Fred pulled her back down on the bed and recommenced their kissing.

"How long do you think we have before they're at the door scared and asking to sleep with us?"

The lightning flashed brightly. "I wouldn't dawdle if I were you," Hermione said, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him softly. "I have loved having you all to myself this week, you know?"

"It was nice gettin' to shag you all day. I think we managed to cover most places in the flat."

"Do you think we might do it again soon?"

"Shag? I think we might do it right now."

She smacked his shoulder. "You know perfectly well what I meant."

"Well, they did so much better than we anticipated. They only managed to get themselves banned from one country—possibly two. The word's still out on Bulgaria."

"Yeah, I don't think Romania will appreciate having them back anytime soon, whether they were what released the dragons or not."

"Hermione, do you think they did—you know—bring down all those wards?"

"Well, it sounds silly enough, but I wouldn't put anything past them."

"Growing them up is not going to be easy, is it?"

"No," she said.

He pushed his hips against hers, his hardness pressing into her thigh.

"I would just like to point out that I was a well-behaved child, so I think I must be paying for your poor behaviour."

Fred cocked his head to the side as though thinking about it. "I'll concede that point."

"Fred?"

"Hm?"

"You're dawdling."

"Eager, aren't we?"

"So eager," she said. She leaned up and licked her way up his neck, stopping along the way to nip him several times, as she made her way to his earlobe. "So eager to have that big, hard cock of yours inside me," she whispered against his ear.

"You keep talking like that, it's not gonna be hard long."

The lightning lit the room, and the look on his face was one of waning restraint. His lips were puffy from their kisses and his freckles stood out against the whiteness of his skin.

"I love you," she said softly against his ear, as she felt him press against her entrance. Her folds opened to allow him access as he pressed on and sheathed himself fully inside her. Their lovemaking tonight was just that: making love. It wasn't an urgent or passion-filled coupling; it consisted of long, slow strokes and whispered words of affection. She teetered on the edge of ecstasy, when Erin's voice startled them both back to harsh reality.

"Hermione, please tell me that is your hand on my back."

"I can't."

"Daddy, Spot is afwaid of da storm."

* * *

Hermione re-entered their bedroom a half-hour later.

"So, did we do any lasting damage?" he asked, pulling her close when she got into the bed.

"Nah, she was too scared of the thunder to notice anything more than kissing, which they see us do all the time, was going on. I'm sure I put the locking spell on our door though."

"You do realise that Hogwarts, after thousands of years, may not withstand their first year?" Fred asked. "A wand in their hands is a terrifying thought."

"Aren't you an optimistic one? I would be willing to wager that Hogwarts, as we know it, won't exist after their first week."

"Well, I think we've proven we know what to do with those seven days before they send them home."

"I'm becoming forgetful, so I might need a reminder later, Fred."

"Just say when, baby."

End of Story.


End file.
